Seger Remembers Reed Who Passed from Colon Cancer
- In a new interview with SiriusXM, rocker Bob Seger remembers Alto Reed, who passed from colon cancer last year at 72.
- Colon cancer is typically detected via colonoscopy, which looks for polyps small white growths in the colon.
- Treatment options for colon cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy.
“I listened really hard to him,” Seger says. “And he said ‘how grateful I am for my wonderful life.’ … I thought that was so beautiful, and I thought he was so brave. I don’t think I could go out (on tour) without him.”
Screening for Colon Cancer
Colon cancer is typically detected via colonoscopy, which looks for polyps small white growths in the colon. The overwhelming majority of polyps 95% are precancerous, which means that could turn into cancer. Cedars-Sinai colorectal surgeon Dr. Zuri Murrell describes this process in an earlier interview.
“When we’re looking at a colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening,” says Dr. Murrell, “what we do is we’re looking for polyps, which are these small growths. When we see a polyp, we actually physically take the polyp out through the colonoscope.”
Related: Stage One Colon Cancer
“That means we basically put a wire through with a little bit of a little flange at the end and we pull the polyp out. Now, note there is no pain with that. Inside the colon, there are no pain fibers. [Then] we send that to a lab,” he says. “So when it’s in the lab, a pathologist basically cuts up the little polyp and looks under a microscope. And underneath the microscope, they can decide whether or not it is early cancer or whether it is just a precancerous polyp.”
Looking for Polyps During Colonoscopy
Colon Cancer Treatment Options
Colon cancer treatment paths are typically determined based on the stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis. Treatment options for this disease include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy.
Related: Deciding When to Operate on Colon Cancer
Surgery is a common treatment option for many. In an earlier interview, Dr. Murrell explained laparoscopic surgery for treating this disease. He says, “Traditional cancer surgery, colon cancer surgery, we would make a large incision from stem to stern, open up, and physically remove the cancer. As you can imagine, this can cause a great deal of pain.”
Related: SurvivorNet Guide: Treating Early-Stage Colon Cancer
“It wasn’t from the actual removing the mass or the reconnection of the colon, it was actually from that incision,” explains Dr. Murrell. “So then we developed laparoscopic surgery. Laparoscopic surgery is when we’re able to make various small incisions, and with specialized instruments, we’re able to remove the mass and reconnect you, and pull the specimen out of a bigger incision about this big.”
Related: The Type of Colon Surgery Depends on the Location of the Tumor
Laparoscopic surgery is just as effective, he assures us. “What I tell patients is that for colon cancer, laparoscopic is equal to open surgery when done correctly. And to me, this is one of the best ways to do it because you minimize the incisions– and it’s not just for cosmesis,” says Dr. Murrell.
What is Laparoscopic Surgery for Colon Cancer?
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